Offered is a Queens South Africa Medal (1899 – 1902) with 6 clasps, RELIEF OF KIMBERLY, PAARDERBERG, DRIEFONTEIN, JOHANNESBURG, DIAMOND HILL, WITTEBERGEN, impressed named 87036 GNR: J. MUNDAY. R.F.A.; Kings South Africa Medal (19020, with 2 clasps, SOUTH AFRICA 1901, SOUTH AFRICA 1902, impressed named 87036. GNR: J. MUNDAY. R.F.A.

Mention in Dispatches - London Gazette 29/7/1902.

James Munday was born on 9/3/1874 at Poplar, London. A driller by trade, he enlisted into the Royal Artillery at Woolwich on the 23/10/1891. He was posted to the 7th Battery 11/11/1891.

He received 10 days imprisonment 12/5/1894 and on 7/7/1894 he was tried by the Civil Powers and received 60 days imprisonment. Numerous soldiers have been discharged from the Army as bad characters after receiving penalties from the Civil Courts, however Munday was allowed to remain in the Army. His good conduct pay was restored to him in 95 and a second badge in 97. He discharged to the Army reserve 21/10/1898.

Boer War service

He was recalled to the Army in 1899 and posted to the R.F.A. Ammunition column 2C.T. to serve South Africa 15/11/1899 – 2/8/1902. He was posted to the Maxim Battery 1 Pdr 8/12/1900.

The ‘pom poms’ were only deployed to South Africa as a result of direct intervention by Kitchener. Eventually over 50 pom-poms were shipped to British forces in South Africa. They were usually operated by Royal Artillery as a section of guns as part of a Royal Horse Artillery battery but often deployed separately as sections if not individually. Eventually it was usual for each brigade or column to have at least one pom-pom attached. He was awarded a Mention in Dispatches (L.G.) 29/7/1902.

Posted to the 1/Depot 14/7/1902, he was transferred to the Army Reserve 19/5/1903 and discharged 20/10/1903. He re engaged with the Reserve 29/12/1903 – 28/12/1904. The 1911 & 1939 census records him working as a ‘turncock/turnkey’ for the water company in Gateshead. He was also an A.R.P. warden.